Life expectancy at birthMale: (2016) 70 yearsFemale: (2016) 75.5 years

Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literateMale: (2003) 95.5%Female: (2003) 91.9%

GNI (U.S.$ ’000,000)(2016) 4,346

GNI per capita (U.S.$)(2016) 4,840

(1) Fijian long/short-form names: Matanitu ko Viti/Viti; Hindustani long-form name: Fiji Ripablik.(2) A new constitution went into effect on September 6, 2013. The first legislative elections took place on September 17, 2014.(3) The 2013 constitution specifies English, iTaukei (Fijian), and Hindi as the three languages used for official purposes.

Did You Know?

Fiji’s name in the Fijian language is Viti.

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Introduction

Land and People

History and Government

The discovery of Fiji is usually credited to Abel Jansen Tasman, a Dutch navigator, who visited the island group in 1643. Captain James Cook of England sailed through the islands in 1774. Major credit for the discovery and charting of the islands goes to another Englishman, William Bligh, who navigated the islands after being set adrift in a small boat by the mutinous crew of his ship, the ill-fated Bounty (seeships, famous). After 1830…

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